Reps pass 363 bills, consider 2,747 in three years
The Senate will reconvene in Abuja today, following the end of its legislative recess, with the completion of the review of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution expected to dominate proceedings.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives considered 2,747 bills and passed 363 in the first three years of the 10th National Assembly, chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, has said.

According to legislative sources, senators will resume consideration of the remaining Constitution amendment bills after giving priority passage to the State Police Bill on June 24.

A source familiar with the process said attention would shift to the outstanding amendment proposals, noting that they were ready for consideration after the state police legislation was separated for urgent treatment.

Earlier, the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review had compiled a report covering all proposed amendment bills. However, its presentation at the Senate was postponed in June to allow lawmakers focus exclusively on the State Police Bill, which was described as a matter of national importance.

Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who is the committee’s chairman, had disclosed that the panel processed 69 Constitution amendment bills, 55 requests for state creation, two boundary adjustment proposals, and 278 applications for the creation of new local councils.

Among the key proposals awaiting consideration is the Special Seats Bill, which seeks to increase female representation in elective offices by creating 182 additional women-only legislative seats nationwide. The proposal includes 37 new Senate seats, 37 House of Representatives seats, and 108 seats across the Houses of Assembly without altering existing constituencies.

The bill failed during the previous Constitution amendment exercise after facing opposition from many lawmakers. Despite renewed advocacy by its promoters, its chances of passage remain uncertain.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu, said the National Assembly “intends to conclude work” on all outstanding Constitution amendment bills before the end of the present legislative session.

Aside constitutional matters, senators may also address the controversy involving the Director-General of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PEAC/PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, who accused the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, of demanding a N400 million bribe and seeking 48 per cent of the agency’s N27.4 billion take-off grant.

The Presidency denied the allegations. The matter drew attention because the National Assembly approved N1.3 billion for the agency in the 2026 budget, raising expectations that lawmakers may scrutinise the issue when plenary resumes.

DURING a media briefing at the National Assembly ahead of the commencement of the fourth legislative session of the House today, Waive said the 2,747 bills read for the first time between June 2023 and June 15, 2026 comprised 57 Executive bills, 95 Senate bills for concurrence and 2,595 private member bills, while 363 had been passed by the House.

A breakdown showed that during the first legislative session, the House introduced 1,351 bills, including 12 Executive bills, three Senate bills and 1,336 private member bills, with 89 bills passed.

In the second session, lawmakers introduced 912 bills, made up of 14 Executive bills, 30 Senate bills and 868 private member bills, while 148 bills were passed.

The third session recorded 484 bills, comprising 31 Executive bills, 62 Senate bills and 391 private member bills, of which 126 bills were passed.

Giving an update on the status of bills before the House, Waive said 1,782 bills were awaiting second reading, 323 referred to standing committees, 185 awaiting consideration, 89 consolidated, and five negatived.

On motions considered during the third session, he said 192 motions were referred to standing committees and 28 to ad hoc committees, bringing the total to 220 motions, while 121 were presented as matters of urgent public importance.

House spokesman, Akin Rotimi, said many of the legislations passed by the House were already producing measurable benefits for Nigerians.

He cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), saying more than 1.6 million Nigerians had benefited from the scheme, with over N300 billion disbursed in student loans following the enactment of the enabling law by the National Assembly.